Mark Emmanuel, Union Gas district manager for Hamilton/Halton presented the cheque to Mark Runciman, chief executive officer of Royal Botanical Gardens, at the organization's staff barbeque held at Hendrie Park Gardens.

Union Gas' support will help RBG hire three summer students for their species at risk, terrestrial and aquatic programs. The students will provide essential support to RBG's ecologists, biologists and interns as they restore and steward over 2,400 acres of ecologically-significant nature sanctuaries.

"Union Gas cares about the environment. Our nature is reflected in our company culture, whether we are building a pipeline or erecting a new energy-efficient office building," said Emmanuel. "That's why we support important environmental programs in the communities we serve. Your program will make a difference, and that is important to us."

"Royal Botanical Gardens nature sanctuaries have been recognized as environmentally significant on a national scale. We are a living laboratory for science, a connecting point for children in their early embrace of nature, a leader in sustainable gardening and the standard-bearer for ecological restoration and plant preservation," said Runciman. "These funds will enable us to mentor three summer students, who will provide the critical support needed to protect this important landscape."

In addition to natural gas delivery services for homes and businesses and contributing to the province's economy through investment, job creation, municipal taxes and energy efficiency programs, Union Gas has a clear set of best practices regarding the environment and actively encourages and promotes those practices via community groups throughout its distribution area. This value is reflected each year, as the company supports communities across Ontario through thousands of volunteer hours for local charitable and non-profit organizations, major charitable giving and sponsorships. Last year, Union Gas donated close to $3 million to community and charitable organizations in Ontario, including over $928,000 to United Way. In addition, Union Gas employees, retirees, family and friends provided over 17,000 volunteer hours to help strengthen the communities where they live and work.

About Royal Botanical GardensRoyal Botanical Gardens (RBG) is the largest botanical garden in Canada, a National Historic Site, and registered charitable organization with a mandate to bring together people, plants and nature. For more information visit rbg.ca or find us on Facebook: facebook.com/RoyalBotanicalGardens and Twitter: twitter.com/RBGCanada.

About Union GasUnion Gas Limited, a Spectra Energy (NYSE: SE) company, is a major Canadian natural gas storage, transmission and distribution company based in Ontario with 100 years of experience and service to customers, assets of over $6.4 billion and approximately 2,200 employees. The distribution business serves about 1.4 million residential, commercial and industrial customers in more than 400 communities across Ontario. Union Gas is one of Canada's Top 100 Employers for 2014. For more information, visit uniongas.com or find us on Twitter: twitter.com/uniongas, Facebook: facebook.com/uniongas and YouTube: youtube.com/user/uniongas.